Concrete-block-molding machine



A. L. AND H. R. POST. CONCRETE BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYILIQZO.

Patented Nov. 15, 192 1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. L- AND H; R. POST- CONCRETE BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILEDMAY 1?, 1920.

I, Patented NOV. 15, 1921.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- jzuenfor3' e lrw m- A. L. AND H. R. POST. CONCRETE BLOCK MOILDINGMACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1920.

39 779 Patented N0v. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

,IEZUGIZ 721%.

Maw 50 4 w. W W

UNITED STATES ALVAH L. POST AND HARRY R. POST, OF KENT, OHIO.

CONCRETE-BLOCKMOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed may 17,

To (1?? 11:71am '52 may concern:

Be it known that we, ALvAH L. Posr and HARRY R. PosT. citizens oftheYnited States. and residents. respectively. of Kent. in the county ofPortage and State of 01110. and Kent. in the county of Portage and Stateof'Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inCon':rete-Block- Molding Machines, of which the following is afull.clear. and exact description.

This invention relates to a machine for molding concrete blocks. and hasfor its object the provision of a machine by which blocks can be moldedefficiently and rapidly. In other words. it is one of the chief objectsof the invention to provide a machine by which blocks of a superiorquality can be produced cheaply or economically.

The invention resides in numerous de tails of the machine including thearrangement of cores. part or a set of which normally project throughthe bottom of the mold box or flask. and a second set being carried by aplunger which is lowered to compress the material and serving to forcethe lower cores downward through the bottom of the flask during thestroke which brings about the actual molding or compressing action. theconstruction being such that pressure is applied to the material bothinternallyand externally to compress o'r solidify it.

Additionally the invention relates to mechanism by which material isdelivered from a suitable hopper to the mold box, and in the mechanismby which certain parts associated with the'hopper including a door atthe bottom thereof, and a cut-*ofi' gate above the door are operated.Still further the invention resides in mechanism by which the moldedblock is automatically elevated on the upward stroke of the plunger sothatthe block can be tilted forward on a removable pallet which forms apart of the mold box during the molding operation and can then beremoved on the pallet.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain noveldetails of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts whichwill be described in the specification and set forth in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein we have shown anembodiment of the invention which operates with high ef- Specificationof Letters Patent.

. Patented Xov. 15, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 382,042.

ficiency. Figure 1 is a front view of the machme: Fig. 2- is a sideview; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of all but the top of themachine showing the flask filled with material. the parts being in thepositions that they occupy just prior to the stroke of the upperplunger: Fig. 4 is a similar view of a portlon of the machine at thecompletion of the downward stroke of the" tional view substantiallyalong the line 8-,8

of Fig. 5 with j the flask in the position shown in Fig. 5 and with theblock and palle t removed; Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional viewsubstantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 2: and Fig. 10 is a sectionalview substantially along the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

The machine constituting the subject matter of the present inventionincludes a stationary frame having two rather heavy upright parallelcolumns 10, 10, which are connected together by an upper cross-piece 11,and which constitute supports and form guides for the major part of theoperating mechanism.

Movable vertically in guides 12 on the inner faces of the side members10, 10 of the frame is a cross-head or plunger 13. from which project aseries of vertically movable cores 14. in this case three in number, andtapered at their lower ends as shown. It is these cores which on thedownward stroke of the plunger enter the material in the flask andactually mold the openings with which concrete blocks are usuallyprovided and apply pressure internally of the material to compress thelatter. Likewise these cores force downward certain cores which normallvproject through the bottom of the mold box. Beneath the cross-head andsurrounding the cores ll is a combined presser plate and stripper plate15, which on the downward stroke of the plunger enters the top of theflask and compresses the material therein externally. This plate 15 ismovable moved vertically bya connecting rod 18.

pivotally connected to a cross-member 19 of the cross-head (see Fig. 6)and at its upper end being connected to a crank pin 20 extending betweena pair of large gears 21 which are supported on shafts 22 journaled inthe side frame members 10. which gears are driven in unison by a pair ofpinions on a driving shaft :24. This shaft may be driven in any desiredmanner. as for example. by means of a belt pulley 25 which may rotatecontinuously and is adapted to be clutched and unclutched to the shaft2-1. In practice I employ a clutch. indicated but not shown in detail at26. which clutch will be operated by a conveniently located lever. andis adapted when thrown in. to cause one complete revolution of theplunger and then to be automatically thrown out. Clutches of thischaracter are well known in this and allied arts. and a detaileddescription of their construction is therefore not necessary.

The blocks are molded in a flask which is beneath the plunger and issupported in a stationary position between the side frame memberslO'during the molding operation. This flask includes a stationary backmember '27. a pair of stationary end members :28. a movable bottommember :29. which together with a pair of front arms are pivotedat 31 toa pair of vertically movable cross-members 3:2. which are carried by apair of vertical slides 33 connected together by a lower cross-member 3;which slides are guided for vertical movement in guides 35 (see Fig. 7)which are attached to the inner faces of the side frame members 10.

The ends of the lower cross-member 34 ex-' tend through slots in theside frame members 10 and are connected to a pair of lower outer slides36 which are guided in the outer portions of the side frame members 10.The function of these slides 36- will be explained shortly.

Above it was stated that the flask includes a stationary back 27. twostationary ends 28. 28. and a movable bottom 29 which is pivotallymounted and carries a pair of arms 30 at right angles thereto. The flaskproper into which the material to form a block is dumped. is completedby what is generally termed a pallet 37, which is a removable boardadapted to be placed just inside the arms 30. and forms the front sideof the box. as clearly illustratedin Fig. 3.

As will subsequently appear. on the upper stroke of the plungerfollowing the block molding operation. the molded block. and certainparts of the flask including the bottom 29-. arms 30 and pallet 31' areelevated with reference to the stationary part of the flask. and arethen rotated or swung forwardly until the arms 3 rest on a stationarysupport 38 here shown in the form of a front cross angle so that theblock can be lifted with the pallet and removed from the machine. afterwhich a new pallet will be placed on the arms 30 and swung to uprightposition by swinging inward the pi"- oted parts of the flask. and thenlowered into proper relationship with the stationary parts ofthe moldbox.

The bottom '29 has openings coinciding in number and position with the.upper cores 14 carried by the plunger. and when the flask is in normalposition ready to receive the material there project through theseopenings lower cores 39 which are connected to a cross-piece 40supported and guided for vertical movement by a pair of arms l1 movablevertically in a pair of angle shaped guides 42 which extend verticallydownward at the lower central part of the machine from a pair of lowercross-members l3 which are fixed to and extend between the side framemembers 10. To this cropiece -l0 is attached a lever 4- which extendsrearwardly and at its rear end is connected to a support 45 and to thislever is attached a tension spring -16. the action of which is tonormally liold the cores 39 in their upper position shown in Fig. 3. andwhich permits the cores to be depressed or moved downwardly through ,thebottom of the mold box when they are engaged by the downwardly-movingupper cores 14. b

In accordance with the present inventib'n. measured or predeterminedquantities of material are delivered to the flask by mechanism which iswholly automatic except to the extent that the delivery of a charge ofmaterial necessary to fill the flask is timed by the operator bythrowing a hand lever or equivalent device. In accordance with this partof. my invention I provide a hop er 48. at a suitable elevation at therear side of the machine, and into this hopper is deposited by aconveyer or otherwise. material containing the right ingredientsproperly mixed in condition to be molded into the blocks. The materialis delivered from the lower end of this hopper to the flask by aninclined chute -19 which is supported in fixed position with referenceto the lower end of the hopper and rear top edge of the flask asillustrated in Fig. 2.

Normally the lower end of the hopper is closed by a hinged door 50, therear edge of which is pivoted to the lower rear edge of the hopperon anaxis 51. The door is normally held closed by a pivoted latch 52, and itis released so that a charge of material may fall from the bottom of thehopper and be delivered by the chute 49 into the flask by a manuallymovable device 53, in this case in the form of a hand lever supported onone of the side frame members 10 at the front of the machine, andconnected by a link 5i to the lower part of the latch. hen the operatorpullsthe lever 53 forwardly the latch is withdrawn from the door so thatit may drop downward against the bottom of the inclined chute. and whenthe lever is released both it. and the latch are restored to normalposition'by a spring 55.

The door 50 is closed automatically after a charge of material isdelivered from thehopper .to the chute 49. and to accomplish this thefront of the door is connected by a link 56 to the rearwardly extendingarm of 1 a bell-crank 57 mounted in a block on the 10 near the top ofthe machine. When the door is open a downwardly projecting arm 57 ofthis bell-crank is swung from the full line position of Fi 2 to thedotted. line position which is at jacent a roller 58 (see particularlyFig. 1) carried by one of two cranks 59 which are provided just outsideof along the side frame members 10 on the ends of the shafts 22 carryingthe plunger operating gears 21. The relation of the roller 58 on thisvcrank and the bell-crank arm 57* is such that at the beginning of thedown stroke of the plunger the roller swings the bell-crank in such amanner that the link 56 and door are pulled upward until the doorreaches closed position and is temporarily secured in that osition bythe latch 52.

In order that prec etermined or measured amounts of material may bedelivered through the bottom of the hopper -10 I provide a shortdistance above the door a transversely moving cut-ofl or gate consistingin this case of a plurality of fingers 60. which pass through the rearwall of the hopper in a horizontal direction. and 'at their outer endswhich are on the rear side of the hopper being connected to a cross-bar61. to the ends of which are conn ec'ted a pair of forwardly extendingarms or slides 62 which are adapted to slide back and forth in guides 63secured on opposite sides of the hopper.

The gate is moved rearwardly so as to allow the material above it todrop down onto the closed door 50 of the hopper. and is then movedforwardly so as to form a barrier-or support for the material above itand permit only the material beneath it to pass from the hopper down thechute into the flask when the door is open. and this is doneautomatically by the following mech- (see anism: On the outer faces ofthe side frame members 10 I provide a pair of slides 64 which are abovethe slides 36 already referred to. and these slides are moved up anddown in their guide-ways by the two cranks 59 and by connecting rods.65which connect the outer free ends of the cranks with the slides. The upand down vertical movement of these slides (or rather certain portionsof the movement) is transmitted to the gate 60 through mechanismincluding a pair scribed. is as follows: Assuming thatthe operator hasrestored the movable parts of the flask to normal or receiving positionwith the pallet along the front side thereof.

as shown in Fig. 3,-the operator will pull.

outward on the lever 53 so as to allow the bottom door 50 of the hopperto drop and permit the material previously between the ate and the doorto slide down the #chute into the flask. 'hen the material slides intothe flask the flask will be filled sub stantially as shown in Fig. 3.and the lower cores 39 will now extend upward into the material as shownin this figure. Then the operator pulls the lever. not shown, whichstarts the plunger operating mechanism in motionrwhereupon theplunger'is lowered and then elevated. and then the plunger operatingmechanism is stopped with the plunger in its elevated position asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. As the plunger comes down. theupper-cores-enter the material and force the lower cores 39 through thebottom of the flask. The upper cores thus mold the openings in the blockbeing molded and substantially uniform compression is obtained whichwould not be the case if the openings in the block were formed solely bythe upper l plungers without the assistance of the lower plungers whichby projecting up through the bottom of the box displace part of thematerial where the openings are to be formed. Likewise it will beunderstood that pressure to solidify the material into block form isobtained not only internally by the downward movement of the cores butexternally by the premer and stripper plate 15 which isof such a sizethat it willjust enter the top of the flask and on the retraction of theplunger it prevents the upwardly moving cores 14 from pulling the sandupward.

At the beginning of the downward stroke of the plunger the door 50 isfirst closed by the action of the roller 58 on the bell-crank arm 57 ofthe bell-crank 57, and by the links 56 connecting the bell-crank to thedoor and then after a predetermined downward movement of the slides 6*.during which time the door 50 has been closed the bell-cranks 56 andlinks and 71 cause the rearwardly movement of the gate 60. This allowsthe material in the hopper to drop down onto the closed door, and on theup stroke of the plunger the gate is pulled forwardly so as to dividethe material which is to form the next charge from that which is nowabove the gate. It might be mentioned at this point; that the amount orvolume of the charge which is supplied to the flask can be varied ifdesired by reason of the fact that the lower part of the hopper. 2'. a.that part carrying the door can be moved up or down on the lower part ofthe body portion of the hopper. the lower part thus movable beingdesignated T5 in Fig. 2. This lower part of the hopper is connected ontothe main portion by bolts 76 these bolts being provided at their upperends with adjusting nuts T7.

On the downward and upward strokes of the plunger. not only is a blockmolded in the mold box. the door closed. and the gate operated asalready described. but during the upward stroke of the plunger the blockand parts of the 'flask including the bottom 29-and front pallet 37 areelevated so that the block and pivoted parts 29 and 30 and pallet 37 maybe swung outward to the position shown in Fig. 5 as already described.

This automatic lifting of the molded block and parts of the mold boxincluding the pallet is accomplished by the following mechanism: On thelower ends of the slide 64: laterally projecting pins T6 are providedand on the upper ends of the lower slides 36 pivoted catches 77 areprovided directly beneath these pins. the catches being normally in theposition shown in Fig. 2. so

that on the downward stroke of the plunger the pins T6 will pass beneath.the shoulders 77 of the catches. and on the up stroke will engage theseshoulders and elevate the slides 36 as well as the molded block and themovable parts of the flask. Therefore when the plunger operatingmechanisn. comes to a stop with the plunger elevated. the molded blockis elevated and the operator swings it outward to the position shown inFig. 5 with the pallet 37 now underneath the molded block. It isthenremoved with the pallet. another pallet is placed on the arms 30.the movable parts of the flask then swung inward and are lowered so thatthe entire flask will be in position to receive the next charge. andthis is done by a trip device connected to the catches 57. which deviceis operated by a haul lever 78 at one side of the machine .and providedwith arms 79 connected by links 80 to the upper ends of the catches T7.The operator has simply to pull up on the hand lever to cause thecatches to be swung clear of the pins 76, whereupon the parts drop tonormal position, and when the lever is released the latches swingforward to their normal position.

Then the operation is repeated. the operator releasing the door, causingthe next charge to be delivered to the flask and the plunger operatingmechanism started to mold the next block.

It was previously stated that the upper cores force the lower cores 39downward through the bottom of the mold box during the down stroke ofthe plunger and cores. and it will be understood that as the upper coresrecede on the up stroke of the plun-' gers. the lower cores 39 arebrought up to normal position through the action of the spring 46.However. these lower cores do not engage the molded block on thereceding of the upper cores because the block is lifted beforesuchengagement can take place. so that the upward movement of the lowercores cannot injure the lower part of the molded block.

. With this mechanism. largely automatic in character and controlled bythe three levers 53. 78. and a lever not shown which controls theplunger operating clutch. blocks can be molded very rapidly andefficiently. Hence we are enabled to produce very good blocks at lowcost.

Though we have illustrated simply the preferred construction. it isobvious that the machine may be modified in details. and we therefore donot wish to be confined to the details shown. but aim in our claims tocover all modifications which do not involve a departure from the spiritand scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim 1. In a block molding machine.a frame. a flask. adapted to receive material to be molded into blockform. means for compreming material in the flask comprising a plunger. aplurality of tapered cores which are actuated by the plunger and on thecompressing stroke thereof enter one side of the flask and pass throughthe material and through the opposite side of the flask so as to formopenings in the block being molded and to compress the materialinternally thereof. and a stripper plate which during the compressionstroke of the plunger enters one side of the flask and compresses thematerial externally.

2. In a block molding machine. a vertically disposed frame. a flaskadapted to receive material to be molded into block form. and open atthe top. means for compressing the material in the flask by pressureexerted internally and externally, com-- and through the bottom of theflask, thereby forming openings in the material and exerting pressurethereon internally, and the stripper plate during the compression strokeof the plungerentering the top of the flask and serving to exertdownward pressure on the material externally thereof.

3. In a block molding machine, aflask adapted to receive material to bemolded into block form, a plunger for compressing the material in theflask and provided with a core adapted to enter the material to mold anopening in the block. and a core normally projecting into the flask inline with the core of the plunger and movably supported so that it mayrecede from the flask during the compressing stroke of the plunger.

4. In a block molding machine, a frame. a flask adapted to receivematerial to be molded into block form. a plunger supported by the frameandmovable toward and from the flask. said plunger being pro vided witha plurality of cores adapted to enter the material to mold openingstherein. and-a plurality of cores normally extending into the flask inline with the cores of the plungerland movably supported so that theymay be forced from the flask during thecompressing stroke of theplunger.

5. In a block molding machine. a frame. a flask adapted to receivematerial 'to be molded into block form, a plunger supported by the frameand adapted to compress the material in the flask, said plunger carryinga plurality of cores adapted to enter the material to form openings inthe block, and a set of cores normally projecting through the bottom ofthe flask and yieldingly supported so that they may 'recede from theflask when engaged by the plungers carried by the core.

6. In a block molding machine. a frame. a flask positioned at one partof the frame during the molding operation. a plunger movable lengthwiseof the frame and having *means which during, the stroke of the plungerin one direction enters the flask to compress the material therein. andmecha nism operating in predetermined relation with the plunger forshifting the molded block and a part of the flask lengthwise of theframe on the return stroke of the plunger following the compressingstroke. and means foroperating the plunger and said shifting mechanism.

T. In a block molding machine. a frame. a -flask positioned in the lowerpart of the frame during the molding operation. a

plunger movable lengthwise of the frame and having means which duringthe downward stroke of the plunger enters the flask to compress thematerial therein. and mechanism operating in predetermined relation withthe plunger for lifting the molded block and a part of the flask on theupward stroke of the plunger following the downward compression stroke,and means for operating the plunger and said shifting mechanism,

8. In a block molding machine, a frame. a flask adapted to receivematerial to be molded into block form. cores normally projectingupwardly through the bottom of the flask, a plunger movable lengthwiseof the frame for compressing the material in the flask and provided withopening forming cores. the first-named cores being movably mounted andadapted to be forced through the bottom of the flask during thecompressing stroke of the plunger. and mechanism for lifting the moldedblock and a part of the flask on the return stroke of the plunger.

.9. In a block molding machine, a frame, a flask adapted to receivematerial to be molded in block form, a compressor for compressinmaterial in the flask. a receptacle adapte to receive material to besupplied to the flask. means for delivering material from the receptacleto the flask. said receptacle composed of two parts, one adjustablerelative to the other, and means for permitting predetermined ormeasured amounts of material to pass from the receptacle to saiddelivery means and comprising a door at the lower part of thereceptacle, and a cut-off device movable transversely of the receptacleabove the door. said door and cut-ofl' device being carried one by oneof said parts of the receptacle and the other by the other of said partswhereby on the adjustment of said parts of the receptacle varyingamounts of material will be supplied to the flask.

10. In a block molding machine. a frame.

a flask adapted to receivematerial to be molded into block form. acompressor for compressing material in the flask. a recepta- Cle adaptedto receive material to be supplied to the flask. means for deliveringmaterial from the receptacle to the flask. said re-' ceptacle comprisinga body portion and an adjustable bottom portion. the body portion havinga cutoff device and the adjustable bottom portion having a door wherebywhen the door and cut-ofl device are operated in se uence measuredamounts of material are deiivered to the flask.

11. In a block molding machine. a frame. a flask adapted, to receivematerial to be molded into block form. a compressor for compressingmaterial in the flask. a receptacle adapted to receive material to besupplied to the flask. means for delivering mareceptacle comprising abody portion and an adjustable bottom portion. the body portion having acut-off device and the adjustable bottom portion having a door wherebywhen the door and-cut-ofl' device are operated in sequence measuredamounts of material are delivered to the flask. and means forautomatically actuating the door and cutoff device in predeterminedrelation with the movement of the, compressor.

12. In a block molding machine. a frame. a flask adapted to receivematerial to be molded into block form. a compressor for compressingmaterial in the flask. a receptacle adapted to receive material to besupplied to the flask, means for delivering materail from the receptacleto the flask. said receptacle having at the bottom a hinged swingingdoor and above the door having a cut-ofl' device. and means forautomatically actuating-the door and cut-ofi device in pre determinedrelation with the movement of the compressor.

13. In a block molding machine. a vertical frame. a flask near thebottom thereof for receiving material to be molded. a plunger movablevertically of the frame for compressing material in the flask. mechanismfor operating the plunger. means by which a predetermined amount ofmaterial may be delivered from the receptacle to the flask comprising adoor at the lower part of the receptacle. a cut-off device above thedoor. a slide movable lengthwise of the frame and operatively connectedto the plunger operating mechanism. and mechanism for transmittingmovement from said slide to the cutoff device.'

14. In a block molding machine. a frame. a flask normally positioned atone part of the frame and adapted to receive material to be molded intoblock from, means comprising a plunger movable lengthwise of the framefor compressing material in the flask. a hopper adapted to receivematerial to be supplied to the flask. devices at the lower part of thehopper for causing predetermined or measured amounts of material to besupplied from the hopper to the flask. mechanism for shifting the moldedblock and a portion of the flask along the frame during a portion of thereturn stroke of the plunger following the compression stroke. means foroperating the plunger. and mechanism operating in timed relation withthe plunger for automatically shifting said devices and for operatingthe block and flask shifting mechanism during the cycle of movement ofthe plunger.

15. In a block molding machine. a vertical frame. a flask near thebottom of the frame, adapted to receive material to be molded into blockform. a plunger movable lengthwise of the frame downwardly and thenupwardly so as to compress the material in the flask. mechanism foroperating the plunger. a hopper adapted to contain material to besupplied to the flask. a door at the bottom of the hopper. a cut-offdevice above the door movable transversely of the hopper to permit apredetermined amount of material to be delivered from the hopper whenthe door is opened. a slide movable lengthwise of the frame forelevating the molded block and a portion of the flask. and mechanismsoperated by the plunger operating mechanism for shifting the door. formoving the cut-ofl device and for lifting said slide during each cycleof movement of the plunger.

In testimony whereof. we hereunto afiix our signatures.

ALI'AH L. POST. HARRY R. POST.

